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Red Wine Chocolate Cake
5 from 45 votes

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

This Red Wine Chocolate Cake uses a blend of granulated and brown sugars, cocoa powder, and red wine to create a moist, rich cake. The batter includes eggs, sour cream, and vegetable oil for tenderness and texture. The cake is layered with a red wine-infused dark chocolate frosting for added depth and sweetness, making it a distinctive dessert.

Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 1 layer cake (9")
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: International

Ingredients

For the Red Wine Chocolate Cake:
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 all-purpose flour 3/4 cups, divided
  • 1 unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cups, sifted
  • 3 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 baking powder 1/2 teaspoons
  • 1 salt 1/4 teaspoon
  • 4 egg large, at room temperature
  • 1 sour cream full-fat, 1/2 cups
  • 1/2 cup milk whole
  • 1 cup red wine favorite, i used Pinot Noir, but i also love Cabernet
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup water hot
For the Red Wine Chocolate Frosting:
  • 2 butter unsalted, softened, 1/2 sticks (10 ounces), a little softer than room temperature, but not melted
  • 3 confectioners’ sugar sifted, 1/4 cups
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces dark chocolate melted and cooled for 10 minutes, i suggest using 60% cocoa or above
  • 4 red wine favorite, 1/2 tablespoons, i used Pinot Noir, but i also love Cabernet

Instructions

For the Red Wine Chocolate Cake:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350°(F). Cut out three 9-inch round segments of parchment paper to line your cake pans with. Spray each pan generously - sides and bottom - with nonstick cooking spray, then place the parchment paper cut out in the bottom of the pans and spray again. It's important to make sure every bit of pan and paper are sprayed so your cakes don't get stuck. Set pans aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, combine both sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Use your hands to break up any large clumps of brown sugar, if needed. Set aside.
  3. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, milk, wine, oil, and vanilla extract; whisk well until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Pour in hot water and continue mixing until completely combined; about 1 minute.
  4. Divide the batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool cakes in the pans, placed on a cooling rack, for 15 minutes, before removing from pans and transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.
For the Red Wine Chocolate Frosting:
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-speed until completely smooth. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar, beating until all of the sugar is completely combined. Add in the salt and chocolate and beat smooth. Beat in the wine. Once all of the ingredients have been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a full minute.
Assembly:
  1. Using a serrated knife, carefully trim the raised top of each cake, making each one an even, level surface. Transfer 1 layer to a large plate or cake stand. Spread an even layer of frosting on top, then top with another cake layer, and repeat. Top with the final cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Slice and serve, or keep refrigerated for about a week.